Loss of Jordan's Principle Programs in Canada
First Nations across Canada are experiencing a decline in Jordan's Principle programs due to reduced funding.
Funding for Jordan's Principle services decreased from $1.72 billion in 2023-24 to $1.64 billion in 2024-25.
Onigaming First Nation in northern Ontario, which has been under a state of emergency since 2024, is one of the affected communities. The region has seen alarmingly high death rates, including deaths by suicide.
Just in the past four years, we’ve had 46 deaths. That’s roughly about 5 per cent of our population overall.
According to Chief Jeff Copenace, Onigaming had been running various programs to address mental health issues, including crisis response teams and an after-hours safety team.
- Crisis response teams
- An after-hours safety team that patrolled homes and the community at night
These programs aimed to ensure the safety of residents, particularly children and youth.
Author's summary: First Nations in Canada face reduced funding for Jordan's Principle programs.